Swiss AI Weeks 2026: National AI Movement Kicks Off Its Second Round
On September 1, 2026, the Swiss AI Weeks will kick off for the second time—with 220 partners, 37 cities, and already more than 180 events throughout Switzerland. The initiative brings artificial intelligence to businesses, schools, and people’s everyday lives, positioning Switzerland as a key player in the run-up to the 2027 Geneva AI Summit.
Following a successful debut in 2025, the Swiss AI Weeks will kick off their second edition on September 1, 2026. Through October 4, numerous activities in 37 cities and municipalities will bring artificial intelligence to where it has the greatest direct impact: in businesses and universities, in schools, local communities, and everyday life. The initiative now has 220 partners and, even at the start, includes over 180 events in German-speaking Switzerland, French-speaking Switzerland, and Ticino—with more dates being added all the time.
From a National Movement to the International Stage
The Swiss AI Weeks initiative has now expanded beyond Switzerland’s borders. It has been officially confirmed as a partner in the «Road to Geneva» preparatory campaign, which is taking place in the run-up to the 2027 Geneva AI Summit. Switzerland will host this summit on June 21 and 22, 2027, at Palexpo. This means that the movement’s nationwide efforts will directly contribute to the international debate. «The broad response to the first Swiss AI Weeks shows us that AI is no longer just a topic for a small community of experts. This year, we will significantly expand the initiative with more partners, more venues, and more formats that give people practical access to AI. At the same time, we are looking ahead to Geneva 2027, because the international debate needs experiences and voices from all over Switzerland,» explains Katka Letzing, co-founder and CEO of Kickstart Innovation and Swiss AI Weeks.
A program covering a wide range of topics
The 2026 program centers on two main areas: initiatives for companies that want to use AI in a practical and responsible way, and activities for the general public. In addition to 11 hackathons and new educational formats for schools and families, the program is expanding its range of topics to include events on trustworthy AI, ethics, and societal impacts. Topics such as AI-related jobs, data protection, and human interaction are on the agenda, as are issues surrounding work, public administration, and digital inclusion. In this way, Swiss AI Weeks reach significantly more people outside the traditional tech scene.
The Zurich Hackathon on September 24 and 25 is the largest and gives teams 36 hours to tackle more than ten real-world challenges from partner organizations. Additional hackathons will take place in St. Gallen, Geneva, and Kloten—focusing on finance and technology, agent-based and physical AI, the workplace, healthcare, and legal issues.
Apertus and Swiss Research in Action
Apertus, the open Swiss language model developed by EPFL, ETH Zurich, and CSCS with support from the Swiss National AI Institute, serves as the technical backbone of the program. It will be used at all hackathons as well as at events for executives—including on September 17 in Zurich and October 2 in Lugano. On October 1, the ETH AI Center’s AI+X Summit will showcase research advances and applications in fields such as healthcare, finance, and engineering. From September 28 to October 3, the Zurich AI Festival will bring together open labs, public debates, art installations, and hackathons into a citywide program.
Education and Social Inclusion as a Priority
Education is a deliberate priority in 2026. The Swiss AI Weeks directly engage students, teachers, and parents so that the next generation will not only use AI but also understand it and critically examine it. In Ticino, an AI Salon kicked off the event with a pre-conference where HR professionals, union representatives, psychologists, and executives discussed the impact of AI on work and daily life. A new pilot project with Smartfeld is aimed at students, teachers, and parents. The Ticino program includes over 25 events and culminates in Switzerland’s first film festival dedicated exclusively to AI. A special workshop for seniors also offers practical guidance on using AI in everyday life.
A Strong Network of Partners from Business and Academia
The Swiss AI Weeks program is shaped by the participating individuals and organizations. Public institutions, academia, the business community, nongovernmental organizations, and the general public are working together as part of a national movement, rather than operating in separate silos. Founding and returning partners include Finnova, the Gebert Rüf Foundation, Groupe Mutuel, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Karakun, SRG SSR, Swisscom, Swiss Life, UBS, Var Group Suisse, Viseca, and VZ VermögensZentrum, among others.
The partners« comments underscore the collaborative approach. Christoph Aeschlimann, Group CEO of Swisscom, notes: »AI will only become a Swiss strength if we build it together—and that’s exactly what’s happening at the Swiss AI Weeks.« Daniele Magazzeni, Group Chief AI Officer at UBS, adds: »Through cross-institutional and cross-disciplinary collaboration, we can help foster a culture of cooperation, openness, and experimentation, and ensure that AI is developed and applied in a responsible and sustainable manner.”
The complete event schedule and information on how to participate are available at www.ai-weeks.ch available.
